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New Orleans in My Heart

New Orleans has been at the forefront of our hearts and minds after the terrible attack that took place there on New Year’s Day. New Orleans is a special place. It’s full of physical, elemental energy where the great Mississippi River meets the gulf. It’s also a unique bridge between worlds, cultures, and the spirits of those who call it home. Sinners and angels may walk amongst us everywhere, but I know for a fact that they do in New Orleans.

My last visit to the city was in June of 2023 for a conference. I was traveling solo which can be no small feat for a disabled wheelchair user. I flew in and got settled at my hotel, then decided to roll three or so blocks to the nearest CVS on Canal. It was a predictably scorching summer afternoon.

Traveling to new places and especially big cities as a solo wheelchair user can leave you feeling vulnerable at times. I tend to only venture out alone during daytime hours and the sun was slowly setting. I rolled out of my hotel and got about a block down the street when all of a sudden a severe migraine hit out of nowhere. My eyes filled with water and began streaming down my face, and my vision turned almost completely white as if someone were shining a light directly into my eyes. I wasn’t in pain but I couldn’t safely see where I was going. I had to duck off to the side for a moment in hopes it would soon pass.

Finally, after a few minutes my brain let go of its grip on my eyes and I make it up to the intersection to try to cross the street. Only, once the pedestrian light turned and I rolled down the curb cut, one of my back wheels gets caught wedged between the lip of the street and the curb cut. I couldn’t move. Traffic was eventually going to come my way and I was practically stuck in the street.

Before I could panic I look up to see two young men wearing matching crisp white polo shirts and black pants walking towards me. They were obviously on their way to work but to me they looked almost like angels.

“You’re stuck!” they said, and pushed me right out of the gutter without a second thought. I thanked them profusely and they continued on like nothing had happened. It was a simply passing moment between two kind strangers and someone in need of help. They did what any decent person would do. Still, to be seen and cared for by a stranger can be a powerful thing and I never take it for granted.

The rest of my errand was thankfully rather uneventful but everyone I encountered greeted me with the biggest smiles and kind words. New Orleans folks were eager to assist and were incredibly respectful about offering as well. For them it was no big deal that I was disabled or in chair and nothing could have made me feel more welcome than that.

Although it's not tremendous or profound, I hope my little story helps remind us of the bountiful spirit of New Orleans and all that it’s people offer the world. All who visit are left changed in some way. New Orleans is a place where you can be yourself, for the better, worse, or who really gives a damn anyways?! I’m grateful New Orleans chose to bless me with its kindness that day, and the city and it's people will always be in my heart.

Behind a mask
we play the roles we’re assigned
the ones we choose
and the ones we deny.

-k. thompson, The Ones We Deny

From the studio…

I hope this week has brought a sense of renewal with ease as we settle in to January and the new year. Both Joseph and I's studios are back in full swing with many creative things happening.

This week I am excited to be working with Joseph on another project for his handcrafted furniture business, Joseph Thompson Woodworks. Joseph has a real talent and passion for hand tools and has one of the most discerning eyes for quality. His own work is inspired by Japanese design and technique as well.

Over the years Joseph has connected with an equally discerning master craftsman who travels to Japan often, and has collected a considerable amount of new old stock Japanese hand tools. These tools are handcrafted by master Japanese craftspersons, woodworkers, and metalworkers, many of which are no longer living. For what these tools are they are truly priceless, and the top choice for craftspersons with a dedication to excellence in quality.

After a few years of doing so "on the side" so-to-speak, Joseph is now listing his inventory on his online shop. That's where I get to help him develop his website, market, and sell these incredible tools.

This project is particularly inspiring to me because some of these tools are several decades old and have been stored away for years, never used despite being some of the best quality tools made. They were handcrafted by another passionate craftsperson with a commitment to excellence in integrity halfway around the world. Now I get to handle them, photograph them, document them, and help them reach a new shop where they will be properly used and admired for the masterpieces that they are.

I used to dream about working in a museum when I was younger, but as I was photographing some exquisite Mukomachi Nomi mortise chisels the other day I realized I've found something just as exciting and inspiring, and it's humbling. I am grateful to play a small part in the cultivation of craftsmanship, and also the sustainability of fine objects with integrity that already have and will continue to surpass the tests of time.

In my own work I am writing of course, and focused on starting my new year's action plans for my advocacy work. I've also recommitted to a routine that centers my health both physically, spiritually, and emotionally, so it's been a welcome return to some much-needed routines this week.

Thank you for taking the time to stop by, please stay warm as winter fully embraces many of us this week.

With love,

Katie T.

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